Urban Development

Post-Redevelopment Bills May Pass California Legislature

Bills would permit cities and counties to create joint powers authorities to replace redevelopment agencies and require long-term real estate investment plans.

March 15, 2012 - www.cp-dr.com

Who Needs a Working Waterfront, Anyway?

The increasing recognition of waterfronts as a recreational and redevelopment asset belies its continued value for trade and industry. Will Doig makes the case for the oft-antagonized shipping industry in the tug-of-war over waterfront real estate.

March 14, 2012 - Salon

Maximizing the Economic Potential of American Cities

Inspired by three books published in the last year that help to elucidate the role of cities and density in making people and countries richer, Ezra Klein compiles some lessons for economic development in the United States.

March 13, 2012 - The Washington Post

San Francisco Trims Waterfront Plan's Sails

Ambitious plans to remake considerable portions of San Francisco's Waterfront in preparation for the America’s Cup yacht race, to be staged in the city in 2013, have been significantly scaled back, reports George Calys

March 13, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

California Legislature Considers Reviving Redevelopment

Though Gov. Jerry Brown still appears to be opposed to the idea, both houses of the California Legislature are pondering the possibility of bringing back tax-increment financing in a limited form.

March 11, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

Revisiting a Prophetic Essay by Jane Jacobs

Fortune has re-published a provocative essay by Jane Jacobs, originally published in the magazine in 1958, as large scale urban renewal projects were taking off in cities across the country.

March 10, 2012 - CNN/Money

Skyscrapers Overnight: China's Obsession With Turbo-Prefab

Jonathan Kaiman takes a look at a new hotel in China's Hunan Province that's pushing the envelope of how quickly high-rise buildings can be constructed – and raising eyebrows, and safety concerns, in the process.

March 9, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Rolling the Dice on Atlantic City's Future

Caren Chesler reports on Atlantic City's efforts to reinvent itself as a seaside resort, as recently unveiled in a master plan developed by Jones Lang LaSalle with the Jerde Partnership.

March 7, 2012 - Next American City

Born of Transit, a Young D.C. Neighborhood in Full Bloom

Seven years after a celebrated public-private partnership, NoMa proves a smart growth success, write Rachel MacCleery and Jonathan Tarr.

March 7, 2012 - Urban Land

What is Manhattan's Carrying Capacity?

NYT reporter Amy O'Leary observes Manhattan's ubiquitous construction while suffering through overcrowded sidewalks, stores, and subway trains, and wonders just how many more people the crowded borough can absorb.

March 5, 2012 - The New York Times - Real Estate

America's Top Five Real Estate Markets

Writing for Urban Land, Trisha Riggs looks at the country's top markets for real estate based on ULI's Emerging Trends Americas report.

March 3, 2012 - Urban Land

Redfields: A New Flavor of Infill

Following an ill-fated foreclosure in 2009, a residential project in Libertyville, IL finally finds its way while demonstrating the potential for an emerging field of redevelopment, reports Ann Dillemuth.

March 2, 2012 - APA - Sustaining Places Blog

Where Are Baby Boomers Going to Spend Their Golden Years?

John K. McIlwain breaks down the recent explosion in the "65-or-better" population – and what it means for urban regions.

March 2, 2012 - Urban Land

Upping the Ante for Suburban Retrofitting

For the final topic in its blog series Lab Notes I, the BMW Guggenheim Lab has enlisted June Williamson to address repurposing buildings and urban infrastructure for more productive uses.

March 1, 2012 - LAB|log

The Nameless Neighborhood That's Leading the New York Real Estate Market

In the real estate market best known for creative acronyms (DUMBO anyone?), perhaps the only thing missing from this neighborhood is a catchy name, writes Alison Gregor. Trump Town anyone?

February 29, 2012 - The New York Times

Housing: Fundamentals, Imbalance, and Solutions

Is the dream home for the New Era compact, connected and mortgage free?

February 29, 2012 - PlaceShakers

Tapping into the Rental Market with Foreclosed Homes

In an effort to stabilize neighborhoods and reduce the glut of foreclosures in the marketplace, Fannie Mae is beginning to sell foreclosed properties in bulk to investors to test the market for rental homes, write Alan Zibel and Nick Timiraos.

February 28, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal - Developments Blog

Top Planning Trends of 2011-2012

February 27, 2012 - Jonathan Nettler

With Malls and Mom-and-Pops Struggling, What is the Future of Retail?

Tom Stoelker pens a feature in The Architect's Newspaper examining the decades-long upheavals in retail and current efforts to shape retail in ways that will preserve urban character while growing the economy.

February 26, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

A Revolutionary Plan to Spur Development in New York, Eighty Years Onward

Jen Carlson writes about an incredibly ambitious (or naive) plan from 1934 to expand buildable area in New York by paving over the Hudson River.

February 25, 2012 - Gothamist

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.